Air-valve for radiators.



No. 835,720. I PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

T. WHBATLEY.

AIR VALVE FOR RADIATORS.

APPLIOATION FILED J'ULY2. 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application filed July 2, 1904. Serial No. 215,105.

To all whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, THOMAS WHEATLEY, of Syracuse, in the county ofOnondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Air-Valves for Radiators, of which the following, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to improvements in air-valves for radiators topermit the expulsion of the air from the radiator by the infl0wingheating agent and at the same time to automatically close the air-ventas soon as the .air is displaced by the heating agent, whether hot wateror steam.

This air-valve is controlled by means of the float, the action of whichis regulated by an expansive medium as effected by the variations intemperature of the heating agent.

The broad object of such a valve is to maintain a free exit for the coldair during the inflow of the heating agent and to close the airventimmediately upon the expulsion of the cold air and presence of theheating fluid, so as to prevent the escape of any steam or hot waterthrough the air-vent. This implies that the action of the float must beextremely sensitive and susceptible to influence under slight variationsin temperature.

It also implies that the instantaneity of action of the float is largelydependent upon the total area of the heating-surface operating to expandthe water of condensation and trapped air, which impel the float.

The broad object of my present invention, therefore, is to dispose theheating-surface in such manner as to ex and the float-actuating mediumsimmediate y u on the presence of the heating agent and a so to retardand deflect the inflowing heating agent after it enters the valve-case,whereby the water of condensation is quickly precipitated to the bottomof the well, and thereby traps the air in a suitable chamber providedtherefor, so that when the air is expanded by the heat it will reactupon the liquid in the well and immediately raise the float to close theair-vent valve.

Another specific object is to retard or baffle the passage of the airwhich escapes under pressure toward the air-vent, so as to equalize thepressure and prevent a sudden rush of such air from operating the floatand prematurely closing the valve.

A still further object is to utilize this airvent valve for preventingthe rentrance of air into the radiator when the steam or water cools andrecedes therefrom, thus establishing a partial vacuum in the radiator toaugment or aid the reflow of the steam or water into the radiatorwhenits inlet-valve is opened.

Other specific objects and uses will appear in the followingdescription:

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are sectional views taken,respectively, on lines 1 1, Fig. 2, and 2 2, Fig. 1, the valvein Fig. 1being shown as unseated from the air-vent opening and as seated upon asubseat to prevent the reentranoe of air into the radiator, the floatbeing shown in its normal position of rest. Fig. 3 is an elevation,partly broken away, showing the float seenin Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is asectional view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of myinvention. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the upper end of an air-valvesimilar to that seen in Fig. 1, except that the closure for the air-ventconsists of a ball se cured in the upper end of a float-cap. Fig. 6 is atop plan of a modified seat or supporting disk for the valve seen inFig. 1, which is adapted to be used when it is desired to permit therentrance of the air into the radiator. Fig. 7 is a sectional view ofthe upper portion of the device seen in Fig. 1, showing the valve asoperated by the float to close the airvent.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

In carrying out the objects stated I provide a suitable base 1 with athreaded nipple 2, which is adapted to be screwed into the radiator,this base being also provided with an inflow-passage 3, extendingthrough its top and having its upper end enlarged, forming a socket 4and an annular shoulder 55. Resting upon this shoulder in the form shownin Fig. 1 is a comparatively thin disk or diaphragm 6, which extendsacross the upper end of the inlet 3 and is formed with a central opening7, in which is secured the lower. end of a tube 8, which is ofcomparatively small diameter with reference to the extreme diameter ofthe inclosing shell and rises some distance above the disk or diaphragm6. The upper end of this tube is open, and in it is secured a cap 9,covering the open end of the tube, but having lateral openings 10, whichare formed by cutting and pressing out portions 1 1 of the sides of thecap, these portions 11 being further utilized to form compara- IIO ,engage the inner walls of the float presently described.

The wall of the socket 4 is threaded, and in it is removably secured thelower end of a double-wall casing 12, so that the base and casing may bedetached to permit access to the interior of the shell for cleaningpurposes and also to facilitate the assembling of the float and innertube 8. The diaphragm 6, which supports the inner tube 8, is alsoremovable; but it is operatively held in place by having its edgesinterposed between the shoulders 5 and lower end of the casing 12.

This casing consists of an outer section 13 and an inner section 14,both of which are arranged concentrically around the inner tube and areunited at their upper ends to form an air-chamber 15, closed at itsupper end, the inner section being open at the bottom and communicatingwith a well A at or near its bottom through water-passages 16, thesepassages being located near the bottom or diaphragm 6.

The casing 12 extends some distance above the cap 9 of the tube 8, and,together with the inner tube 8, constitutes the well A, of which thediaphragm 6 is the bottom, while the open top of the tube 8 determinesthe depth of the well for the purpose of receiving and retaining thewater of condensation. It now appears that the casing 12 and inner tube8 are operatively fixed to the base and that the lower end of the innersection 14, having the openings 16, is disposed in the bottom of thewell, and therefore the slightest accumulation of the water ofcondensation in the well operates to trap the air in the space orchamber 15 between the sections 13 and 14. It is also apparent that theinflowing heating agent through the passage 8 enters centrally into thefloat a through the upright tube 8, which communicates with the passage3, and that the cap 9 and wings 11 operate to retard the inflowin'gheating fluid and to deflect the same downwardly at the outside of thetube 8, while at the same time the air is free to pass upwardly aroundthe cap 9 between the wings 11, from which it finally escapes through avent-passage 17 in the upper end of the casing 12.

The sections 13 and 14 are preferably formed of separate pieces ofmetal, as metal tubing, the shell 14 having its upper end reduced indiameter at 18 and extending through a central opening 19 in the upperend of the section 13, the vent-passage 17 being formed in the top ofthis reduced extension 18 of the section 14, and the walls of theopening 19 are suitably secured by soldering or brazing to the peripheryof the extension 18.

A diaphragm or supporting-plate 20 is secured horizontally within theextension 18 directly beneath the vent 17 and is provided with anopening 21, in which a ball-valve, as 22, is normally seated to closethe openin 21. The ball 22 is in this instance employed for closing theopening 21 and also for closing the vent 17, and the diaphragm 20 islocated so as to permit a limited vertical movement of the ball 22between the seat of the opening 21 and opposed seat of the vent 17. Thisvalve is sulficiently weighted to seat itself by gravity in the opening21, but is also sufliciently light to ermit the air to escape throughthe opening 21 when expelled from the radiator by the inflowing heatingagent, and although this valve is slightly raised from its seat 21during the expulsion of the air it is not elevated sufliciently by suchairpressure to close the vent 17, this latter operation being eflectedsolelyv by the movement of the float, as presently described. This floatconsists, essentially, of outer and inner concentric cylinders or tubes23 and 24, having their upper ends united by soldering or brazing andtheir lower ends similarly united to form a sealed air-chamber 25between the concentric walls 23 and 24.

The inner wall 24 of the float surrounds the fixed tube 8, and thereforeboth walls 23 and 24 are concentric with said inlet-tube 8, the wings 11serving to guide the lower end of the float in its vertical movement.The wall 24 is extended a slight distance above its junction with theupper end of the wall 23, and in this upper end is secured by any suitable fastening means, as solder or brazing, a cap 26, similar to the cap9 of the tube 8, said cap 26 being provided with airpassages 27, whichare formed by cutting and pressing portions of the sides of the capoutwardly to form wings 29. These wings serve two purposes-first, todeflect downwardly any steam or hot water which may possibly rise to thecap 26, and, second, to engage the inner side of the extension 18 toguide the upper end of the float in its vertical movement. The upperends of the caps 9 and 26 are concavo-convex, with their convex facesuppermost, and the convex face of the cap 26 is utilized to engage theball-valve 22 for the purpose of unseating it from the opening 21 andseating it in the vent-opening 17.

In the operation of this valve, assuming that the radiator is filledwith air and that the heating agent is permitted to flow therein, thenthe air is expelled from the radiator by the pressure of the inflowingheating fluid. and passes outwardly through the passage 3, through thetube 8, passages 10, and into the interior of the float-tube 24, fromwhich it continues to escape through the passages 27 into the extension18 of the casing 12, the pressure of the air being suificient to unseatthe ball-valve 22', whereupon the airis free to escape through the vent17 until entirely expelled from the radiator. At this moment theinflowing steam or hot water enters TIO through the passage 3 into thetube 8 and 10 15, and this trapped air is quickly heated and expanded bythe inflowing heating agent, thereby depressing any water which may haveaccumulated in the bottom of the chamber and forcing it back through theI5 opening .16 into the.float-chamber, thus causing an extraaccumulation of water in the bottom of the float-chamber, whichimmediately raises the float and causes said float to raise the valve 22against the seat of the vent 17, thus preventing the escape of theheating agent through said vent. Now if the steam in the radiator isallowed to cool it condenses and forms a partial vacuum and tends tocause a rentrance of air in said radiator through thevent 17. Thisrentrance of air into the radiator is prevented by the closing of thevalve 22 against the seat 21, said valve being held in this position bythe inequality of air-pressure, and therefore op- 0 erates to maintainthe vacuum until the reopening of the inlet-valve for the radiator,whereupon the partial vacuum operates to augment the upflow of thesteam, which is the object sought.

3 5- In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification of the device seen in Figs. 1and 2, consisting of a base 1, a single-wall outer casing 12 havingavent 17 in its top, and in the base 1 is centrally secured a tube 8,having a cap 9, the

0 tube 8 and casing 12 forming an interposed well for receiving a float30, consisting of outer and inner concentric walls 23 and 24, which areunited at the top by soldering or brazing or other suitable means andare 5 openat the bottom, whereby the air may be trapped in the chamber25 between the walls 23 and 24.

In the device shown in Fig. 4 the outer casing consists of a singlewall, the cap 26 seats directly in the vent 17, and the space betweenthe walls of the float is open at the bottom, instead of closed, as seenin Fig. 1.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a slightly-modified form of valve, like that seenin Fig. 4, except 5 5 that a ball 32 is mounted directly in an openingin the upper end or cap of the float and is held in place by crimping aportion of the gapl on said float against the periphery of the In Fig. 6I have shown a valve-supporting disk 40, which may be substituted forthe disk 20 when it is desired to permit the reentrance of air into theradiator. This 'disk is provided with a central opening 41 and 6 5prongs 42 to receive and support the valve 22 in the opening 41 and topermit the'air to escape and reenter between the prongs.

It is now apparent that the air is trapped in each of the devices seenin Figs. 1 and 4 by the water of condensation which accumulates in theirrespective wellsthat is, the doublewall casing constitutes the air-trapof the device seen in Fig. 1 and the double-wall float constitutes anair-trap in the device seen in Fig. 4. In both of these devices the cap9 at the top of the tube 8 receives the impact of the air as expelledfrom the radiator and also serves to deflect the steam or water directlyinto the bottom of the well, so as to prevent the operation of the floatby a sud- 8o den rush of air toward the vent and also to trap the air inthe chamber 15 as soon as possible after the air in the radiator hasbeen expelled through the vent.

Although I have shown the tube 8 as disposed in the central passage ofthe float, it is evident that it may be otherwise located pro viding ithas direct communication with the inlet and vent openings of the shelland also with the upper end of the well.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having aninlet and an air- 5 vent, a float having an open lower end communicatingwith the inlet and provided with openings near its top and communicatingwith the vent, and laterally-projecting wings on the upper end of thefloat in sliding en- 00 gagement with the casing and overhanging saidopenings.

2. An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having aninlet and an airvent, a hollow float-open at the bottom, and 10 5communicating with the inlet and provided with openings near its top,communicating with the air-vent, a cap covering the upper end of thefloat above the openings, and laterally-projecting wings on the floatalso above 1 IO said openings in sliding engagement with. the casing toguide the upper end of the float and at the same time to deflect theheating agent outwardly and downwardly from the interior of the float.

3. An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having aninlet and an airvent, a valve for the air-vent, a float having alengthwise passage open at the bottom and communicating with the inletand having its 1 20 upper end provided with outlet-passagescommunicating with the vent, and laterally-projecting wings on the upperend of the float above said outlet-passages and in sliding engagementwith the upper end of the casing to r 2 5 v deflect the heating agentoutwardly and downwardly from the interior of the float and at the sametime to guide the upper end of the float.

4. An air-valve for radiators, comprising [30 an outer casing having aninlet and an airvent, a tube within the casing having its lower endconnected to the inlet and provided with lateral passages at or near itstop, a hollow float inclosing said tube, a valve actuated by the floatto close the air-vent and wings on the upper end of the tube projectinglaterally and downwardly above the lateral openings therein, andengaging the float to guide the same in its vertical movement and todeflect the heating agent downwardly.

5; An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having aninlet and an airvent, a valve for the air-vent, a hollow float foractuating the valve to close the air-vent,

a tube leading upwardly from the inlet into the interior of the floatand provided with laterally-projecting wings engaging and guiding thefloat and adapted to deflect the heating agent downwardly between thefloat and tube.

6. An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having aninlet and an airvent, a valve for the air-vent, a hollow float foractuating the valve to close the air-vent, a tube leading upwardly fromthe inlet into the float and having its upper end provided with a capand lateral openings beneath the cap, and aterally-projecting wingsengaging the inner sides of the float to guide the same in its verticalmovement.

7. An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having aninlet and an air-' vent, a valve for the air-vent, a hollow float foractuating the valve to close the air-vent, a tube leading upwardly fromthe inlet into the interior of the float and having its upper endprovided with laterally and downwardly projecting wings and lateralpassages bethe float to guide the same in its vertical movement, saidfloat having its upper end provided with lateral passages, and wingsabove the passages, en aging the interior of the casing to additionajlyguide the float in its vertical movement.

9. An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having aninlet and an airvent, a valve for the air-vent, a tube leading upwardlyfrom the inlet toward the air-vent and having lateral passages in itsupper end,

wings projecting laterally and downwardly above the passages in saidtube, a float encircling the tube and having its upper end provided withlateral passages and downwardly-deflected wings above the latterpassages, whereby the heating agent is deflected laterally anddownwardly, said valve being actuated by the float to close the vent.

10. An air-valve for radiators comprising a shell having an inlet andvertically-alined air-outlets spaced apart one above the other andhaving valve-seats in their adjacent ends, a valve playing between saidseats and normally resting on the lower seat to close the lower outlet,and a heat-actuated float I for unseating the valve from the lower seatand seating it against the upper seat to open the lower outlet and toclose the upper outlet.

11. An air-valve for radiators comprising a shell having an inlet in itsbottom and an outlet in its top, a central tube rising from the bottomand forming with the shell a well, a heat-actuated float in the well,adiaphragm forming part of the shell between the upper end of the floatand said air-outlet and itself provided with an air-outlet, said outletsbeing in vertical alinement with each other and with the central tube, aball-valve playing between said outlets separately from the float andnormally seated in the up er end of the outlet in the diaphragm, saidoat operating to unseat the valve from its normal position and to seatit in the lower end of the outlet in the top of the shell.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 23d day of June,1904.

THOMAS WHEATLEY.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHAsE, HOWARD P. DENISON.

